Puzzles & a game of Monopoly
by Shadow Stik
Summary: Just a lil one-shot of Luke and Aurora, playing Monopoly. I promised this to the Mocking J, and I hope this doesn't disappoint. The ending features a slight bit of Luke/Aurora too. Enjoy!


**_Author's Note: Right, with the Curious Village part of the Prof's adventure done'n'dusted, I can move onto the Prof Layton and Pandora's Box. In the meantime this is just a lil one-shot between Luke and Aurora. I promised this to Mocking J, so here it is MJ. Enjoy._**

**_Puzzles & a game of Monopoly_**

Aurora and Luke were sitting side by side on the sofa in the Professor's study. The Professor was giving some Archaeology lectures, and Flora had left to go to the shops. She wanted to get some ingredients to try out cooking, and was taking cooking classes in her spare time.

To be kind, Layton, Luke and Aurora all refrained from informing her that her cooking wasn't, for lack of a better word, edible. They knew that Flora was experiencing some anxiety, living in a new place and didn't wish to upset her or leave her distressed in any way. Besides, cooking made her happy, and they all wanted her to settle in without problem. Conveniently, Flora had yet to meet the, to put it kindly, _unpleasan_t Rosetta Stone, who had yet to return from the village.

Aurora had remembered when they arrived back in London that, are far as they knew, Rosetta remained in the village frantically looking for her teacher. Aurora had intended to inform the Professor but she had taken up the task of moving some of Flora's possessions into her new room at the Professor's home, and thus forgot.

So while said girl was out shopping, Aurora had taken to one of the Professor's puzzle books. She had gotten stuck on one of the book's riddles however, and had enlisted Luke's help.

"Aha," Luke said, coming to an immediate realization. "The answer is simple Aurora. It's Monopoly," he told her.

"Mo-no-polly?" Aurora said unsure as to how it was pronounced.

"Yes, Monopoly, it's a board game, Luke explained to her. "You see, in the game, if you land on another player's property and they have a hotel, you have to pay them money, and Hotels are _really _expensive," Luke told her, emphasizing the word really. "Most people go Bankrupt when they land on them." **_(It's an actual riddle in fact. I thought it would be good for this story.)_**

"Why play a game if you lose your money, isn't that a bad thing to happen?" Aurora asked, completely confused as to why people would risk their money in this way.

"The game has its own currency Aurora, so you don't have to worry about real money," Luke told her.

"Could we please play this game then?" she asked. Now that she knew any real money she owned was at no risk, she decided this game was something she would very much like to give a try.

"Alright, I think the Professor might have the game here somewhere," Luke said, opening some cabinets. In his own free-time if the Professor had any whilst at work he liked to play a game with the others. Luke found the game, and after explaining the rules, set everything up for him and Aurora. Luke played as the dog, Aurora the London Taxi. Once she had understood how to play the game, Aurora did indeed enjoy the game very much and soon mastered the game and had control of half the board.

Luke was nervous as he was at high risk of landing on one of Aurora's properties and if he did so, he would likely go bankrupt. He picked up the 2 dice and rolled them. He rolled 5, and moved his piece. He successfully landed on his own property. He sighed a sigh of relief, and they continued their game. After several more rolls, 1 of which Aurora landed on one of his own properties, which contained a hotel. And it was Mayfair.

"Oh no," Aurora said quietly. She began fishing for the correct Monopoly notes to give to Luke. She just had enough money, and handed it to over to Luke, who was looking somewhat smug by this point. That money had just saved him from the risk of bankruptcy. He rolled, and landed on one of Aurora's properties.

"Aww," he complained. "I was just doing great a second ago," he whined. Aurora couldn't help but feel slightly smug herself. She took the money he had just earned with a smile, and prepared to roll. Luke hoped she would land on one of his properties so he could take back the money.

She didn't, but his next roll brought him to one of her own properties. Oxford street. With a Hotel. He paid up all his money, but didn't have enough. He mortgaged all of his properties, but found he still lacked the necessary funds to allow him to continue playing. He only owned the turquoise set and The Angel Islington.

"I don't have enough money Aurora," he said gloomily. "I'm bankrupt."

"Does that mean I win?" she asked confused. He nodded, and she smiled happily. She was extremely happy that Luke had taught her how to play and tried to think of a way of thanking him. Then she had an idea. She remembered a girl standing on the street with a boy, and how she had kissed him and said thanks for something.

Aurora didn't understand that this was done normally amongst couples however, and not friends. So she leaned over to Luke and captured his lips in a tender kiss. He turned bright red and was unable to speak when she stopped.

"Thanks for teaching me how to play Monopoly Luke," she said gratefully. She had not been embarrassed by the kiss as she had no idea in what context it was used. So when he stammered out "Y-y-your w-welcome A-Aurora," she asked him what was wrong.

"It's just that..." he paused before continuing. "You kissed me." He finished.

"Yes, because that was a sign of gratitude, I saw another person use it as a method of expressing thanks," she told him.

"Yes, but that isn't commonly done amongst friends," Luke told her. He decided that as she didn't understand, it was best he explained, though he would rather not.

"Then who is it normally done amongst?" Aurora asked confused. Now she knew that she shouldn't have kissed Luke, she was turning rather red as well.

"Couples," he told her, hoping she would understand.

"Does this make us a couple?" she asked, not understanding still. Despite having lived amongst humans for some time now, she was still somewhat naïve when it came to human activities and so on.

"Well, err," Luke said, considering what to say next. "Well, not really, I mean, if you want us to be, I don't know..." Luke began rambling, unable to think of an answer. He decided there was only one answer; he only hoped it didn't somehow upset her.

"No, Aurora, it doesn't," he told her, his face finally returning to its normal colour.

"Oh, I'm sorry Luke, I didn't understand," Aurora apologised, dropping her face to the floor, cheeks still burning. Her face had yet to lose some of its red tint. If anything, it turned slightly redder, as she now realised how embarrassing her mistake was.

"No need to apologise Aurora, we all make mistakes," he said cheerfully. She looked up, glad he wasn't angry or anything.

"Would you like another game of Monopoly then Aurora?" Luke asked, glad that the previous conversation was over.

"Yes please Luke," she responded with a smile, her cheeks no longer burning red with embarrassment. So Luke set them up a fresh game, and, with the awkward topic over, began to play, as though the moment between the two had never happened. Though they both silently agreed that they would rather the moment between the two was never bought back up.

But both couldn't deny one thing. They had enjoyed the kiss.

**_So that's my one-shot finished. Lil bit of Luke/Aurora. I couldn't resist the idea of them having secretly enjoyed the kiss. Maybe I'll write a fresh Fanfic where they get together or something. We'll have to wait and see. Hope ya enjoyed it Mocking J. As promised, a one-shot between 2 favourite characters._**

**_In the meantime while you all wait for my next upload everyone….._**

**_STAY AWESOME!_**


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